Flights, maritime activities remain suspended in Zambo

MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Wednesday said commercial flights going to and from Zamboanga City will remain prohibited until Thursday night due to the ongoing crisis situation.

Director General William Hotchkiss III approved the extension for security reasons since the ongoing conflict between government forces and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members has yet to be resolved, according to the CAAP Operations Center.

The agency suspended all flights to and from Zamboanga City on September 9 after MNLF forces infiltrated some coastal barangays of the city and reportedly took residents hostage to make them “human shields.”

Operations of the Zamboanga aiport, which is more than three kilometers away from the conflict site, have been suspended after stray bullets reportedly reached the runway.

At least 10 domestic flights continue to be affected by the suspension order.

Maritime activities in the city also remain suspended indefinitely due to continuing conflict situation, the Philippine Coast Guard situation in Zamboanga said.

The Philippine News Agency reported that all passenger ships have been prohibited to sail to and from Zamboanga City for safety reasons.

However, cargo vessels were allowed to sail in and out of the city.

Classes still suspended; curfew remains

Zamboanga City mayor Beng Climaco said in a statement on Tuesday night that classes in all levels in both public and private schools will remain suspended today.

The curfew that has been imposed since Monday still also took effect from 8 p.m. yesterday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

In a statement, Climaco said city government operations will resume today and heads of national agencies are also advised to evaluate the possibility of resumption of work tomorrow.

Climaco also urged other business establishments to be opened starting today except those in affected areas.

"We likewise appeal to business establishments to ensure that prices of commodities remain stable. The buying public is also advised not to resort to panic buying but purchase provisions enough for the day to prevent shortage of supplies," she said.